Healing hearts
by Republic of Yolossia
Summary: Sadik Adnan knew adopting a child had been a rash decision, but when little Kuzey Balik is finally allowed to live with him, he knew it was also the right decision. All he wants is to give the boy the peaceful, loving life he'd been deprived of, but things get complicated fast when his estranged older brother stumbles into the picture. turkcy, au
1. Chapter 1

_I started another thing sorry! Probably won't write any more of this until I've updated some other stuff first._

_This fic is an AU centred around Turkey, TRNC and Cyprus, with eventual Turkcy. It's mostly exploring TRNC's relationship with both of them. Um, this story (and this chapter) will contain references to child abuse and neglect, so be careful reading this._

…

Sadik was still not entirely sure why he had been matched with Kuzey Balik.

The nine year old was sat next to him at the dining table, munching his way through an assortment of sandwiches and fruit that Sadik had prepared for breakfast. He occasionally slurped from his glass of orange juice whilst the adult sipped from his tiny teacup. He didn't say anything as he ate. But then again, he hardly ever spoke.

Sadik didn't mind on this occasion though; he was just glad the boy was eating. When he'd first been taken into care, the child had been nearly dead with starvation. Even now, he was still underweight and Sadik didn't like it at all.

Both his social worker and the boy's social worker had thought it was a good match, and he just went along with it because- after a year of inspections and filling in forms and awaiting approval from various people he didn't entirely trust- he just wanted to be a parent as soon as possible.

His intentions for adopting were simple and honest: he could no longer live by himself. He wanted a family. He wanted children because he was lonely and needed love and noise in his home.

Sadik had come from a large family, but since moving to London, he'd been starved of human interaction. He had his friends and work colleagues, yes, and the occasional partner, but they weren't nearly enough to feed his desire to be around people all the time, and nothing compared to the crowds and noise he was used to. They had their own lives and homes and families and he accepted that.

Which was why he started his own family.

It had been a… spontaneous, and rather ill-thought out decision, he had to admit. Sadik didn't want to wait to meet the right person, who might not even want the same future as him, so he began looking into adoption.

When the home inspections began he started to think it would have been easier to just wait until he found someone he wanted to marry, but given his history with relationships, there was a good chance they'd end up having to adopt anyway.

He wasn't too fond of his social worker either. Arthur Kirkland was someone he needed time to get used to, but Sadik had to admit Mr Kirkland was good at his job. Though he could sometimes be blunt and think with his head more than his heart, he answered any questions Sadik had in great detail until the man was satisfied this was the best choice for him. If only he'd stop talking about the weather all the time…

He'd told Sadik that he had a child in mind for him from the very beginning.

Sadik knew all about Kuzey before he'd even set eyes on the child. Or at least, he knew what the social workers knew, which was only the last five years of the boy's life.

From what Sadik had heard, he was honestly surprised to be considered a good match. He knew agencies tried to match children with potential parents from a similar cultural background, but even that wasn't top priority. He supposed his big, empty, house was good for providing Kuzey with the peace and quiet he needed, and that as Sadik had no other family responsibilities, he could focus his time on providing Kuzey with the love and support the boy had been deprived of. And to show the boy that not all adults were cruel. And not all adults would neglect him.

It was his job to show Kuzey what love and family was.

Kuzey never mentioned his early years, not to his social worker, his foster parents, nor to the other children. He clammed up at the mention of anything remotely related to his past and the only thing Mr Bonnefoy- Kuzey's social worker- had to report was the occasional mumble of hatred towards his 'Baba', and that Kuzey's friend had once heard him crying out in his sleep for someone to come back for him.

That was another reason why Sadik doubted he was a suitable adoptive parent: Kuzey didn't seem to have had a good experience with fathers. He feared the boy would be scared of him when they first met, but everyone had been shocked with how quickly Kuzey took to him. Everyone, that is, except Mr Kirkland.

During those first, careful, meetings, Kuzey mostly kept quiet, and allowed Sadik to do all the talking. Sadik talked enough for the both of them anyways. At the end of the first meeting, although Kuzey didn't smile, and barely said a word, he gave Sadik a hug as he left. By the second meeting, he could manage the tiniest of smiles. By the fourth, he was even laughing at Sadik's jokes.

Sadik loved the sound of Kuzey's laugh. It was small, and controlled, but still incredible to hear.

Eventually, Kuzey began opening up, and answering Sadik's questions. He found that the boy loved reading, and wanted to start his own business when he grew up. He loved homemade food, and Sadik promised to bring him some homemade sweets next time he visited.

Sometimes they would go out for the day too, either shopping or to theme parks. Kuzey loved visiting museums, and also loved their trip to Hyde Park, especially taking a row boat out onto the lake. Sadik didn't mind rowing at all- it gave him a chance to show off his strength- and loved how fascinated Kuzey was by the water, leaning over the side to see if he could spot any fish.

And now, months later, Kuzey had woken up in his own room in Sadik's house for the very first time.

"So, champ," began Sadik, "have you unpacked everything?"

The child nodded.

"What do you want to do today?"

Kuzey shrugged. "Whatever you want, I guess."

"Well, there's a funfair in the park all weekend," Sadik suggested, "rides, ice cream, the usual."

"Sounds nice." Kuzey took a bite out of a jam sandwich, cut into triangles by Sadik. His voice was flat; it always was when he was lying.

"It doesn't, does it?" Sadik rested his chin in one hand and sighed, "look, just say what you want to do, not what I think you should do."

"Maybe we can go to the funfair tomorrow," Kuzey glanced up and smiled, "I want to stay home today."

Sadik's heart somersaulted at the thought that Kuzey already referred to this house as his home.

"Of course we can!" he cried. Sadik stood up and began clearing the plates away.

"I saw some board games in the cupboard, maybe we could play one of those."

Sadik dropped the plates in the sink slowly before wheeling round.

"I'm not sure that's the best idea," he admitted, "I've been told I'm too competitive with board games. I can get a bit scary, apparently…"

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Kuzey slid out of his chair and hopped over, taking Sadik's hand and pulling him towards the sitting room, "come on, Baba!"

Baba? Sadik couldn't remember when he'd last been this happy.


	2. Chapter 2

…_Fuck. I should've updated this sooner, I'm aware. And sorry about that. I basically forgot to write the next chapter. Plus I was busy._

_Forgot to put this in the last chapter, but Kuzey is TRNC, though I'm guessing you know that…_

…

"Baba, did you have to throw the Monopoly board across the room? I thought I was the child here."

Sadik shied away from his son's gaze, playing with his hands as his face flushed. "Told you I was competitive..."

Kuzey was now tucked up in bed, smiling sleepily whilst Sadik sat on the edge of the bed next to him. The child's face flickered in the glow of his nightlight and he snuggled up to an assortment of cuddly toys that Sadik had bought. The whole room was filled with presents from his new father.

"Just because I was winning…" he mumbled.

"Hey! No one won because we didn't finish the game!"

"…Because you threw the board across the room."

Sadik huffed, folding his arms whilst Kuzey laughed. That laugh always had a strange affect on him, and he soon found himself grinning despite his attempts to sulk.

"Whatever," he said, "just get a good night's rest."

"I will."

"Did you have a good day then?"

"Oh yes, Baba," Kuzey grinned, "it was so fun! And I can't wait to go to the funfair tomorrow."

"Good, but try not to overexcite yourself;" Sadik frowned, "those things can be rather noisy. And dangerous. Maybe we should go to somewhere quieter. Like a library."

"Oh but I never get to go to funfairs," Kuzey looked down, pouting slightly.

"Does going mean that much to you?"

"Well, yes."

He sighed. "Fine, we'll go. But the moment you feel ill or unhappy, you just tell me and we'll go straight home."

"Thank you, Baba. But I think I'll be fine."

Sadik kissed Kuzey's forehead and stood up.

"Goodnight, son."

"Night, night Baba."

…

Kuzey! Wait! Don't go with them!

Sadik ran as fast as he could, but he never seemed to move forward. He tried to speak, to get his son's attention, but no words came out.

He could only watch as a shadowy figure led his son away into a blinding light. Kuzey toddled along next to them, holding their hand and not once looking in his direction. He seemed scared. He glanced from side to side, whining for his Baba. He didn't want to hold this person's hand. Sadik wanted to run to him, to prize him away from the stranger but he still couldn't move.

They walked further away. Everything was blurry. The light almost seemed to hurt. Kuzey, come back! They could be dangerous! Please don't leave me! I don't want you to be hurt! I don't want to be alone…

A flash. They were gone. Sadik silently screamed.

He shot up in bed, giving the tiniest of cries. A dream. It was all a dream. A wave of relief washed through him, but he couldn't help feeling more than a little shaken by the whole thing. Surely the dream couldn't be a warning? Who would want to take Kuzey away from him? He had no family to speak of. The social workers wanted him to have a happy home. No one wanted to take him away.

Regardless, he wanted to make sure Kuzey was safe.

Sadik climbed out of bed, throwing on a dressing gown and slippers, and blindly fumbling for the door. He stumbled through the hall, still clammy and trembling from his dream. He feared the worst as he approached the child's door, even though he knew he was irrational.

But Kuzey was still there. Sadik peered into his room through the ajar door to find him sleeping soundly, breathing steady. He was curled up, clutching a cuddly elephant in one hand and a lion in the other. All was well.

Sadik chided himself for being so paranoid, closing the door silently and tiptoeing back to his own room.

He heard a thump.

Sadik froze. The noise had come from downstairs, and he strained to listen for any more odd noises. Another thump, and the sound of breaking glass.

They were being burgled.

Sadik grabbed an ornamental sword off the wall, too high for little Kuzey to reach, but perfect for a grown man. It was too fragile to give any fatal wounds, but cut a fearsome image. He clutched the sword as he slowly made his way downstairs. No, he wouldn't allow it. This house was Kuzey's safe space and this invading bastard was going to wish he was never born.

Also he better not touch Sadik's sweets stash or there would be blood.

Standing in the hallway, he raised the sword and listened. There was a scuffle coming from the sitting room, and he inched towards the open door, peering inside the room at the figure silhouetted against the moonlight.

A young man, wrapped up in a sleeveless jacket on top of a stained jumper. His jeans were ripped and muddy, and a beanie covered his uneven hair. The man didn't even have a balaclava, and his gloves were fingerless. And judging by that- plus the awful racket he was making- Sadik guessed he was a terrible burglar.

He crawled through the now open window, collapsing on the floor next to the sofa and coughing. He groaned, resting his head on the soft carpet, not even having the strength to pull himself up.

Well, there was no guessing about it: the man was a terrible burglar. This was probably his first time trying something like this; he was probably desperate.

But Sadik had very little sympathy for him. This man had broken into a house where Kuzey was asleep and helpless, and for that he would pay.

"Hey!" he barked, "what the hell are you doing here?"

The young man yelped, lifting his head up and staring at him. He seemed too frightened to speak, just looking up with wide eyes, mouth slightly open and lip quivering. From these close quarters, Sadik now knew he smelt awful, like rubbish and dirty water and other things he cared not think of. The young man just looked at him with those dull eyes, bordered by dark rings.

Then he spied the sword.

The man screamed, sitting up and crawling backwards towards the wall. He threw his arms over his face, as if to shield it. He just kept crying out.

"Please! I'm sorry! Don't hurt me!"

Sadik felt a flash of anger. What a coward! To break into someone's house then start sobbing once they'd been caught out!

"You dare come into my home?" he growled, taking a step forward. "You dare break in and put my family in danger?"

"Please, it was a mistake…"

"Damn right it was! So what, you were planning to steal from us? Kill us in our sleep? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't gut you right here?"

"I… I…" he was lost for words, and promptly burst into a fresh round of tears, composing himself long enough to shout a few words out. "Please! I just wanted to see if he's here! I want to see him!" The young man was backed against the wall now, shaking and blubbing, arms still in front of his face as he shook his head.

Sadik stopped. "Who?" he asked, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer, "who do you want to see?"

"Kuzey. He's here, right?"

Sadik raised the sword higher. "How do you know that name?"

"Baba, what's happening? Why is there shouting?"

Sadik wheeled round to find Kuzey standing in the doorway, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Oh, nothing. Just go back to sleep and I'll tuck you in again after dealing with this."

But Kuzey wasn't listening. He looked past his father at the young man on the floor, and the young man looked back, equally perplexed. Kuzey mouthed something as his eyes widened.

Then he screamed.

Kuzey let out a shriek and darted off with a chorus of 'no's. Sadik wanted to follow him, but he had some business to finish.

"Get out! Get out or I'll kill you! Who are you to come in here and upset my son?"

"Son?" the young man wrinkled his nose. "You are no relative of his!"

"Yes I am," a trickle of fear crept into Sadik's heart, "I adopted him and he's my son! Who are you to question that?"

"I'm his brother!"


End file.
